27th Fajr International Film Festival

The 27th Fajr International Film Festival held from 31 January to 10 February 2009 in Tehran, Iran.

Doubt (Varuzh Karim-Masihi, 2009) — which adapted from Shakespeare's Hamlet — was the festival's best film in "Competition of Iranian Cinema" and Snow (Aida Begić, 2008), a Bosnian film, was the festival's best film in "Competition of International Cinema".

Tributes
Opening ceremony of the festival's Competition of Iranian Cinema took place on 30 January 2009, at the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran beginning at 7:45 p.m. IRST.

Following individuals tributed by Golden Plaque:
 * Ebrahim Hatamikia – Filmmaking occupations: director and screenwriter
 * Mohammadreza Sharafoddin – Filmmaking occupations: producer and special effects supervisor
 * Deceased Khosrow Shakibai – Filmmaking occupations: actor
 * Rasul Sadr Ameli – Filmmaking occupations: producer, director and screenwriter
 * Mahmoud Kalari – Filmmaking occupations: cinematographer

Advertisement Competition
Winners of Crystal Simorgh are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (‡).

Winners of secondary awards are listed second, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a dagger (†).

Contending for Simorgh
Closing ceremony of the festival's Competition of Iranian Cinema took place on 10 February 2009, at the Ministry of Interior Hall in Tehran, Iran beginning at 7:25 p.m. IRST. The ceremony was televised by IRIB.

Awards and nominations   of the Competition of Iranian Cinema sections are below:


 * Golden Simorgh


 * Audience Choice

Main Competition

 * Non-nomination Crystal Simorgh


 * Films with multiple nominations and awards

The following 12 films received multiple nominations:

The following 5 films received multiple awards:

New Vision

 * Non-nomination Crystal Simorgh


 * Non-nominated Honorary Diploma:
 * Best Director: Masoud Naghashzadeh – Child and the Angel


 * Additional Honorary Diploma:
 * Best Actor: Hamed Behdad – Bleeding Heart (2009 film)
 * Best Actress: Mona Ahmadi – Child and the Angel
 * Best Screenplay: Penniless – Hamid Nematollah and Hadi Moghadamdoost
 * Best Cinematography: When the Lemons Turned Yellow – Fereydoun Shirdel

Video-Cinema

 * Non-nominated Honorary Diploma:
 * Best Director: Hassan Lafafian – White Piece's Move

Eye of the Reality

 * Non-nominated Honorary Diploma:
 * Best Documentary Short Film: Dahieh – Habibollah Valinejad, producer

Presenters and performers
The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.

Competition of International Cinema
Closing ceremony of the festival's Competition of International Cinema took place on 3 February 2009, at the Vahdat Hall in Tehran, Iran beginning at 7:35 p.m. IRST.

World Panorama
"World Panorama" is the main section of competition of International Cinema.


 * Audience Choice


 * Non-nomination Crystal Simorgh

Seeking the Truth
"Seeking the Truth" section also known as "Competition of Spiritual Cinema". This section organized to emphasize cinema's incomparable capacity for depiction of the transcendental realms. Films which guide viewers to spiritual values and foster elevated human characteristics entered in this section.


 * Additional Honorary Diploma:
 * Best Performance: Fattaneh Malek-Mohammadi – Superstar (Iran)

Eastern Vista
"Eastern Vista" section also known as "Competition of Asian Cinema". This section organized to promote film art and industry in Asian countries. Asia is the main core of the East, and East is not limited to a geographic concept, whereas it also includes history, culture, identity and all the shared elements of the people in this part of the world. in addition to the diversity of cultures in the Asian countries, this section also insists on the necessity of connections, unification, and cooperation of these countries. The "Special Asian Unity Prize" is created with respect to this idea and goal.

Special Asian Unity Prize
"Special Asian Unity Prize" from Asian Parliamentary Assembly awarded to:
 * Motherland (2009 film) – Abolhassan Davoudi (Iran, UAE and Germany)

Turquoise Road Prize
"Turquoise Road Prize" had no winner. The prize scheduled to the Best Film from Economic Cooperation Organization countries, jointly with ECO Cultural Institute.

Path of the Prophets
"Path of the Prophets" section awarded "Interfaith Award" to:
 * A Time to Love (2009 film) – Ebrahim Forouzesh (Iran)

Moustapha Akkad's Special Prize
"Golden Banner" in memorial of deceased Syrian director Moustapha Akkad, designed in order to persuade that part of the world cinema which has a respectful look at Islam and its greatness. The prize awarded to:
 * Laila's Birthday – Rashid Masharawi (Palestine, Tunisia and Netherlands)

Non-competition sections
Special Screenings, retrospectives and memorials

Ceremony information
The Kingdom of Solomon (Shahriar Bahrani, 2010) removed from the festival's list of accepted films, due to incompleteness of post-production processes.

One of the most controversial events of the Iranian cinema's passed year was Golshifteh Farahani's appearance in Body of Lies (Ridley Scott, 2008). Because of her performance in a Hollywood film, Asghar Farhadi's About Elly faced preventing its screening at the Fajr International Film Festival. At last, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stepped in and ordered the removal of the obstacles.

Bahram Beyzai's When We're All Asleep awarded by main prizes of the Fajr International Film Festival while many of his plays and scripts had rejected for production permit by government, after the revolution.